How much do salamanders cost? What is the price of newts? How much does it cost to buy a salamander?
If your head is swarming with all these questions and you are a beginner enthusiast, then you are in the right place.
So, how much do salamanders cost? Normally a common salamander will cost about 10 dollars. The more rare and imported salamanders can cost up to 125 dollars upfront (without, food, terrarium, substrate, and lights). The total price of buying will usually be around 300-500 dollars.
300 dollars seems like a big investment, but breaking it down seems affordable and worth it.
Are there any long-term costs involved as well? The simple answer is Yes, there are a lot of incurring and future costs involved in caring for Salamanders and newts. Captive salamanders live for quite a long, so it important to know the future expenses involved.
A lot of people want to tame amphibians, But they are unaware about overall cost for tank setup inclusive of substrate, lighting, heater, filter, and food.
Salamander Setup Cost from Buying to Caring
- Cost of Salamander (Common or Rare) Its a personal preference
- Basic Tank Setup Cost (Tank type and size)
- Tank Equipment & Essentials Cost (Feeder, Heater, filter, substrate, hydrometers, light)
- Post Setup Cost (Tankmates, Food, and health care)
You may also like to read How much do frogs cost? (And how much for their tank?)
To simplify things for you we have break down the prices of some popular salamanders, newts and axolotl species.
Price Chart of some popular Salamander Species
| Common name | Scientific name | Approx Price in USD |
| Slimy Salamander | Plethodon glutinosus | $10 |
| Southern Two-lined Salamander | Eurycea cirrigera | $12-$15 |
| Dusky Salamander | Desmognathus auriculatus | $13-$15 |
| Marbled Salamander | Ambystoma opacum | $25-$30 |
| Spotted Salamander | Ambystoma maculatum | $30-$35 |
| Tiger Salamander | Ambystoma tigrinum | $40-$45 |
| Fire Salamander | Salamandra salamandra | $40-$45 |
| Two Toed Amphiuma | Amphiuma means | $40-$50 |
| Lesser Siren | Siren intermedia | $40-$50 |
| Ensatina Salamander (Extremely rare) | Ensatina eschscholtzii sp. | $110-$125 |
Price Chart of some popular newt species
| Common name | Scientific name | Approx Price in USD |
| Fire Bellied Newt | Cynops sp. | $13-$15 |
| Eastern Newt | Notophthalmus viridescens | $15-$20 |
| Red Eft | Notophthalmus viridescens | $20-$25 |
| Crested Newt | Triturus sp. | $25-$30 |
| Spanish (Iberian) Ribbed Newt | Pleurodeles waltl | $30-$35 |
| Alpine Newt (Ultra rare newt) | Ichthyosaura alpestris | $40-$50 |
| Rough Skinned Newt | Taricha granulosa | $60-$70 |
| Marbled Newt | Triturus marmoratus | $100 |
| Lake Urmia Newt | Neurergus crocatus | $110-$125 |
| Iranian Kaiser Newt (Rarest Newt in the world) | Neurergus kaiseri | $150 or above |
| Chinese Emperor Newt | Tylototriton verrucosus | $150 or above |
How Much Does a Salamander Cost? In 2021
Well prices are not static for exotic pets and amphibians but for some common species they do not vary much, but for rare and imported species they can go exceptionally higher.
Coming back to the topic the average price of salamander alone varies from 10 to 275 USD.
Similarly, rare and imported species are far more expensive, Such as Black Salamanders of Europe costs about 260 USD.
and Ensatina Salamander which is Extremely rare species can cost around 125 USD.
Salamander and its Domestication
Can you domesticate a salamander? Yes we can keep a salamander as a pet but some species are toxic so we should ignore them as they have special needs and also pose risk for kids and pets;
Usually they make great pets and can easily live for 4-10 years in proper captive Environments.
Some are poisonous and toxic and even have teeth and tongues that are longer than their bodies.
Depending on the species, they can lay as much as 400+ eggs at once and wrap them in leaf for protection.
Some salamanders have the ability to stay young forever. Well, this doesn’t mean they are immortal but their juvenile features remain even when they are adults.
Start-up & Other Expenses
The average price of common and easily available newts ranges from $6 to $160.
You can buy adult newts for $8 to $50 in offline and online pet stores like petco.com,
but rarer species from overseas tends to be costly ranging from $50 to $150.
Then, there’s the average cost of salamanders which ranges from $10 to $260.
Similarly, rare imported species are expensive such as European Black Salamanders cost about $260.
Costs for Shipping and logistics
On the other hand, there are a few expenses you should also expect to pay if you buy them online:
Verified pet stores and logistic companies make sure about the safe and live delivery for pets.
For that purpose they have special containers and basic equipment that keep the amphibians safe;
An overnight or same day shipping and delivery can some up cost somewhere around 30 to 100 USD.
Setup Costs for Tank
To house common salamanders A 10 gallon tank is sufficient and it can cost anywhere from $25 to $200.
You can also buy terrariums costing around $30 to $250, depending on the size and material
Acrylic tanks costs higher and glass tanks are cheaper as they are hard and scratch resistant.
There are different terrariums available for either aquatic (water) salamanders or terrestrial (land) pets;
Costs of Gloves and Disposables
Salamanders skin is sensitive and some even secrete toxins, so wearing latex disposable gloves is necessary,
it is for the safety of both the pet you are handling and yourself.
The surgical latex gloves costs 5-10$ for a 100 piece box and is easily available at nearby pharmacy
Costs of Lighting Equipment’s
For newts, you need a lighting source that provides full spectrum UVB rays for 8-12 hours a day.
You can buy them locally or online at Petco, petsmart, ebay or amazon for around $10 to $40.
On the contrary, salamanders require incandescent day bulbs light for 10-12-hour daily,
And they are also available in online stores at great prices varying from $5 to $20.
Costs of Decorations and Rocks
Rocks, wooden logs, and artificial decorations provide resting and hiding places for newts & salamanders they cost 5-40$.
Costs of Substrate
Newts prefer a large smooth gravel or water substrate of slate with décor plants.
Whereas, Salamanders requires wet bark, sphagnum moss, coconut fiber or mulchsoil.
Substrate costs anywhere between $2 to $15, decorative plants around $1 to $40.
Cost of Online Purchase
What Do You Get When Buying Online? Is it safe to buy salamanders online?
If you are planning to purchase salamanders online, some stores and seller guarantees about live arrival of their pets.
Meaning, if the pet dies during transit and is received dead on arrival (DOA), you can have both options to choose from
I.e. you can either ask for replacement of that pet or a refund which ever you prefer
However, even if you opt for latter, you’d still end up paying the shipping fee which is non refundable.
Recurring Costs of Owning a Salamander
Costs of Supplement
In order to keep your newts and salamanders attractive plus healthy,
Consider mixing a multivitamin supplement once or twice a week and calcium supplements on a daily basis in their food.
Calcium and multivitamin Supplements are readily available online for $8 to $14 respectively.
Costs of Health Care and Veterinarian
Amphibians are susceptible to diseases so periodically visit a veterinarian or an exotic animal expert;
Through Online Veterinary Practitioners or similar sites you can get expert help.
Costs of Feeders
Newts and salamanders both requires timely feeding two to three times weekly during night.
Their diet of aquatic species mainly consists of brine shrimp, bloodworms, and live or frozen nightcrawlers.
For terrestrial or the ones that reside on land , you can feed them a variety of insects such as crickets and worms.
Typical feeders for amphibians at stores cost about 0.1$ or a few cents and online stores like ebay, amazon etc
some stores like BackwaterReptiles even offer them for 2-5 cents and with local free shipping on bulk orders.
What Affects the Cost of a Salamander?
Salamanders are amphibians with long and slender bodies are a cross between a lizard and a frog.
There are a wide variety of salamander species. In fact, there are currently more than 600+ species of salamanders in the world and America is home to most of them.
Some have two legs, and others have four. Some have lungs, other with gills, and a few have neither; breathe only through their skin.
Then, There are newts. Most people confuse newts and salamanders. They are two distinct amphibians.
Newts are a type of salamander. In essence, all newts are actually salamanders; however, all salamanders are not newts.
Newts can be fully aquatic or semi-aquatic animals and most salamanders spend their entire adult life on solid ground.
Now, why is this important? Well, knowing their difference makes it easier for you with price ranges, their habitat, and an idea of what kind of environment you should have to let them survive.
For example, because adult salamanders are terrestrial species, you have to opt for bigger rocks in aquariums. Thus, increasing money you need to spend on decors.
Another important factor that affects the cost of salamanders is their origin, time, and money spent to bring them in america.
For example, the Kaiser’s Spotted Newts from Iran are critically endangered, making them the most expensive among newts with their price surging from $120 to $150.
The Different Varieties of Salamanders
Here’s a breakdown of the most common species of salamanders you can buy along with their respective prices:
Axolotls
They are hardy, fun to watch amphibians. They measure about 7-9 inches in length, lifespan upto 20 years in captivity.
Axolotls are found in many colors and can live without metamorphosis, means they keep looking young throughout their lifesoan.
In addition, they can regenerate their body parts and heal themselves when injured thereby making them popular in the pet market
They cost around $10 to $75. In petco, petsmart and online stores.
Tiger Salamanders
These are the biggest commonly available salamanders pets. They’re not shy when it comes to food and grows with higher feeding.
Tiger salamanders measures 6-8 inches in size. They are available for $25 to $60.
Slimy Salamanders
Also termed as “sticky salamanders”, their skin secretes, glutinous and clingy substance.
They release this non harmful substance when feeling annoyed or while off-putting.
They requires minimal care and maintenance. and costs only $10 to $25 which make them great pets amphibians.
Fire Salamanders
These salamanders have stunning looks with their dark black skin and bold, yellow stripes.They are docile pets which are not known to bite or being aggressive.
Also, rough handling stresses them and release skin toxins causing fever, soreness, muscle spasms, and nausea to the owner.
They common fire salamander costs around $25, while rarer ones such as Italian Fire Salamanders can go as high as $150.
Marbled Salamanders
With short limbs and chunky bodies, marbled salamanders are avid burrowers and once provided with apt burrowing surfaces, hides them forever.
Because of this behavior, they are names as “mole salamanders”. They cost somewhere from $15 to $30.
Spotted Salamanders
These types of salamanders have bright yellow or orange spots even though they are pretty hard to Find being experts at hiding.
They are long lives around 20 years and can measure as much as 7 inches long.
They costs less anywhere between $18 to $40.
Fire Belly Newts
These pretty newts are among the larger species of newts, measuring up to about 5 inches long. commonly availabe in pet stores as they are hardy and easy to care for.
With proper care, they can live over 15-20 years. They are not hard on pocket costs $12 to $15.
Eastern Newts
Also termed as red-spotted newts by some,They are relatively small, vivid in color and measures only 3 inches as an adult with few exceptions.
Because of their fascinating life cycle between land and water, They are pretty popular pets and are available for 20 Bucks.
Some FAQS
Is It legal to own a salamander?
All non native ambystoma are illegal to trade or transport. You can still buy native ambystoma species. If you like caudates go for a non toxic pet newt, someone holding an exotic pet species license is good to deal with.
Are salamanders good for beginners?
Yes , they are good for beginners. Salamanders can be both entertaining and rewarding pets. They are hardy amphibians that can live long lives in captivity.
How much is a Newt cost?
Average price of newts ranges from $8 to $150. Adult newts costs lower around $8 to $50, but rarer and overseas imported species are precier costing $125 to $250 upfront.
Can I buy newts? is it legal to sell or buy them?
Buying any wild, native amphibians is illegal, and instead of buying you must report to authorities.
It is legal to buy Captive bred newts and salamaders from pet shops, exotic breeders and licenced dealers.